Peace in the lavender color

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by Doraemon comics, in which there is an impressive chapter about Suneo's summer vacation in Hokkaido. The way the "sharp-beaked" guy happily brags to his friends about the wonderful things there made me wish to set foot in Hokkaido one day.

Lost in a dream

This August, I booked a flight through Tokyo, then took a train to Hokkaido - the second largest of Japan's four main islands.

Sapporo is the largest city and administrative center of Hokkaido, located in the northernmost part of the island nation. The lavender season in Japan usually starts from late June to late August. However, the peak blooming time varies from region to region. In Hokkaido, the peak blooming time is from late July to early August. I was lucky enough to catch this memorable scene in the last days of summer before Japan turned to autumn.

Hokkaido is blessed with a rich natural landscape including mountains, vast plateaus, rivers, lakes, and seas; captivating tourists from all over. From Sapporo, I took the Lavender Express train to Furano. This type of train operates to serve the tourist season in the Biei and Furano areas during the summer. The train runs smoothly, is clean, and everyone is conscious of maintaining hygiene and public order. In particular, the local people are always friendly and ready to help tourists when needed.

Sắc hoa oải hương ở Hokkaido - Nhật Bản — Lavender flowers in Hokkaido - Japan

It took me 2 hours to reach Furano - the central area, also known as "the navel of Hokkaido". Furano warmly welcomed me with the dreamy purple color of the endless lavender fields. Standing in the middle of Farm Tomita, I felt like I was lost in a fairyland, where the gentle scent of lavender spread throughout the space. The purple flower beds mixed with the pure white color of baby's breath flowers created a beautiful natural picture. Suddenly, I remembered the image of Suneo and Jaian playing in the flower fields in the story, feeling my heart filled with joy.

Coming here, you can also enjoy cool ice cream with a distinctive lavender scent. I am even more impressed when I know that the Japanese maintain a very transparent business spirit and are proud of each product. The lavender ice cream here is exclusive because the ingredients are extracted from locally grown lavender. Throughout Japan, there is no other lavender ice cream business model that is a "branch" or "follows" this original production place. Therefore, making the lavender ice cream here even more unique and attractive. You will not be able to find a similar ice cream flavor anywhere.

Positive Energy

Leaving Furano, I continued my journey to Biei, known as the "town of green hills". In Biei, I chose to join a tour to explore famous destinations. Biei Blue Lake is a place I will never forget. The emerald green color of the lake combined with the dry tree trunks floating in the middle of the lake creates a magical scene. I spent hours just sitting by the lake, watching the clear blue water and enjoying the fresh air. The flower fields spread across the gentle hills, interspersed with lovely farms, creating a poetic and profound countryside.

In addition, the flower garden on Shikisai no Oka hill is also an interesting destination. Thousands of different types of flowers compete to show off their colors, treating visitors to a sumptuous visual feast. Walking among that colorful picture makes me feel comfortable, my soul relaxes and regenerates positive energy.

In this land of the rising sun, Hokkaido is the place where you can see the horizon most clearly, naturally and beautifully. Therefore, this place easily gives visitors the feeling of returning, the close connection with life and origin. The wild natural beauty, fresh air and peace help me forget all my worries and find balance to return to daily life with joy.

Thank you Doraemon, the robot cat from the future, for planting the seeds of my dream of traveling since my childhood, and thank you Hokkaido for helping me have memorable days in my life.

Enjoy fresh sushi

Hokkaido cuisine also deserves to be praised with all kinds of beautiful words. With a cool climate and cold waters surrounding the North Pole, seafood here is very rich. The most famous dish in Hokkaido is fresh sushi, rich in nutrients, sweet and tender meat. Sushi is inherently present throughout Japan, but it can be said that nowhere is it prepared as deliciously and excellently as in Hokkaido.